GORDON STRACHAN has a clearer picture of his final line-up after sorting the men from the boys at Ninian Park.

"It was a good exercise because it has shown me who is ready and who is not, and it is better finding out now than when the season has started," said the City manager who fielded a relatively young side during a difficult first half.

"The ones we took off at half time were young and inexperienced and they have gone there thinking they might have a nice friendly and ended up playing in front of 9000 people.

"But things improved and during the second half I don't think Cardiff had a shot at goal. We played a lot of good stuff and got crosses in but when you are playing a striker who has not played for a year and a half because of injury and one who was away on trial with Lucerne 10 days ago, you are not going to get too many chances.

"Obviously that is not our first choice strike force and we will try to do something about that."

He added: "I was not worried at half time because the time to worry is when the season starts. But it was a lesson well learned for us because you can play in practice games and friend-lies and be kidded on, but when kids do get a chance we have to make sure they can handle it.

"Out there in the first half we couldn't handle it. We were weak physically and mentally. The second half got a lot better but we have still got a lot of people missing, so it has not been a disaster by any manner of means."